Power and control device for a bed assembly



Jan. 10, 1956 s. s. MASON ET AL POWER AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR A BED ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 28, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTORS.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1956 s. s. MASON ET AL POWER AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR A BED ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 II III IIIIT?\ Filed Dec.

INVENTORS.

llllllllll Illlllllllll Jan. 10, 1956 s. s. MASON ET AL 2,730,213

POWER AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR A BED ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 28 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. Samasz. 5 W450,

ffl mazq/fimm v um ATTORNEYS United States Patent POWER AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR A BED ASSEMBLY Samuel S. Mason and Emmaline E. M. Mason, Orangevale, Calif.

Application December 28, 1951, Serial No. 263,832 u Claims. (Cl. 192-2) This invention relates to bed construction, and more particularly has reference to a bed adapted to be moved between an operative position in which it is disposed upon the floor of a room and appears to be a conventional bed, and an inoperative position in which it is recessed wholly within the ceiling of said room, so as to be concealed entirely from view.

In many rooms space is at a premium, and it is well appreciated that the placement of a bed within a room reduces substantially the elfective usage of the floor area. For example, it many instances house owners maintain guest rooms in which beds are placed but rarely used. In these cases, use of a guest room as regular living space is restricted to an undesirable extent. I

Other instances also arise in which it is highly desirable to keep the floor area of a room clear of a large item of furniture, such as bed, during the daytime hours, this being true of efliciency apartments, hotel rooms, and tourist accommodations.

In view of the above, it is the broad object of the present invention to provide a power and control means for a disappearing bed construction.

Another object is to provide a power and control means for a disappearing bed construction which is electrically operated;

A further object is to provide a power and control means for a disappearing bed construction which is electrically operated and which includes a combinedbrake releasing and electrical switching means.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the bed, a ceiling and roof framing structure in which said bed is recessed being illustrated fragmentarily;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken sub stautially on line 2-2 of Figure 1; i

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of a control box embodied in the invention, a room wall in which said box is recessed being illustrated fragmentarily;

Figure 5 is a diagram of the electrical circuit embodied in the invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side-elevational view illus trating the brake mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 19 has been applied to the conventional pitched rafters of a house or similar structure, said structure being provided with the usual ceiling joists 12.

In accordance with the present invention, some of the ceiling joists 12 are cut, as at 14, at locations spaced longitudinally thereof, and against the cut ends of the ceiling joists 12 we mount transverse frame members 16. The frame members 16 terminate at their opposite ends against, and are fixedly secured to, those ceiling joists 12 the roof rafters 10 disposed thereabove.

remaining uncut at opposite sides of the joists having portions removed therefrom, and to reinforce the several joists against sagging, bridging 18 is applied therebetween.

Thus, we form in the ceiling a rectangular well, generally designated 19, in which the bed constituting the present invention may be recessed in the manner shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Obviously, any suitable means is employed to reinforce the ceiling joists, and to this end upstanding supports can extend directly between the several joists 12 and This is believed sufficiently clear as not to require special illustration.

The ceiling 20 of the room is applied in the usual manner to the "under sides of the joists 12, and isformed with a rectangular opening 22 registering with the well 19. a

A panel 24 is provided in'accordance with the invention, said panel being proportioned to the dimensions of the opening 22, so as to close said opening fully when the bed is recessed within the ceiling of the room. The

- panel 24 can be suitably finished on its under side to blend into the ceiling, and would generally be so finished.

At 26 we have generally designated a bed of conventional construction supported upon the panel 24. As may be noted-from'Figure 2, the bed will be wholly invisible when the panel 24 is elevated to a position in which it is flush with the ceiling 20, this position of the bed being illustrated in full lines. When, however, the panel 24 is lowered into contact with the floor surface of the room, the bed 26 will be ready for use.

Overlying and suitably secured to the respective transverse frame members 16 of the well 19 are angle iron supports 28, these being'disposed both at the head and foot ends of the bed-receiving well. Upon the opposite ends of each of the angle iron supports 28 we fixedly mount upstanding posts 30, which preferably are also of angle iron material, said posts 30 being fixedly attached at their upper'ends to horizontally disposed cross members 32 and longitudinal members 34. As a result, there is provided an open, rectangular, horizontally arranged supporting frame, generally designated 35, that is elevated above the ceiling joists 1 2- and is adapted to support the bed and the mechanism associated therewith for the purpose of raising and lowering the bed to its respective positions.

At the foot end of the supporting frame 35 we mount pulley-support brackets 36, these being disposed at the corners of "said" frame 35, as may be readily noted from Figure 1. The brackets 36 support rotatable pulleys or rollers 38 'of the single type.

At the head end of the supporting frame 35, and also disposed at the corners of the supporting frame, are double brackets '40, each of which supports for rotation a pair of pulleys or rollers 42, 44.

A pair of cables or ropes 46 are trained over the pulleys 38, and are secured at one end to the foot end of the panel 24 at the corners of said panel. The cables 46 extend upwardly from the panel 24 over the pulleys 38 and are then extended longitudinally of the structure at opposite sides of the well 19 for passage over the pulleys 44. Thereafter, the cables 46 are wound upon double winding drums 48 secured to opposite ends of a shaft 50 that issupported for rotation upon bearings 52. The bearings 52 extend upwardly'ancl outwardly from the support 28 disposed at the head end of the bed, as par ticularly well shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Also wound upon the drums 48 are head and cables 34 that are trained about the head end idler pulleys or rollers 42, and are secured to the panel 24 at the head endcop ners of said panel. t

It will thus be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 50 in one direction, the panel 2 4 will be lowered from the full to the dotted line position thereof illustrated in ig r whereas ot ien f theshafLSQ-inan eapusite direction will cause-the panel 24=-"to-b8 elevated.

For .the purpose of rotating. ."the shaft 50,, a driven pulley 56 is fixedly secured to one end of the shaft, and a belt 58 is passed therearound.and around a drivepulley 60 gu e m u t d upon h h t-t tinmotor 62. Theelectricirnotor 62 is nounted below the shaft 50 upon a suitable bracket 64 projecting,laterally from n t-tl e un and nsp ts 30- Th tor s is f -t e e er in -type. and in a pr ferred embodiment ofsthe .inyentiontwefusera ioue quarter h e p 'phase saeas ter star induction m r, this being found well suitedto the-task which the motor must erf rm- In i u e 6' e ha ei ust a dhrakius me han m em bodied inhe n ent id mesltaui mincl dins i cular brake drum 66 fixedly attached to the shaft 50 at a location contiguous to one of the double: drums 48. A fixed brake shoe .inciudesan arm-68 rigidly connected at one-end to one of the horizontal. frame supports 32;, and integrallyformed at its 'other'end with an arcuate shoe portion .70. A movableshoe 72 .is hingedly con,

nected at one end, as at. 4, to. the. lower end of the shoe portion 70 and cooperates with the .shoeportion 70 in the formation-of a composite. brake shoe that extendssubstantially around the .full circumference of :the, drum. 66.

.At. their other ends, the shoes 70, 72am provided with outwardly extended, spacedears having registering-apertures receiving a slidablepin: 76 1 about which is j placed a spring 78. The spring 78 .abuts .at one end against a head provided upon the pinv 76, and at its other end against't'he ear of the thinged shoe 72. :Asa. result, the shoe 72 and shoe portion v70 are-normally biased into engagement, with the brake drum 66, so as to prevent rotation of the shaft 50 .atalltimes when the mechanism for raising andilowering the. bed is not being used.

Pivotally connected at 80 to the-earof the. shoe portion'70 is one toggle 1in'k.:82. second toggle .link 84 is of angular formatiomand .is pivotally joined-at 86, in termediate its ends,.to.t he..outer end ofthe link.82. .At itsiinner end the linksdispivotally joined .to .the ear of the shoe 72, a brake .cable 9,0 beingconnectedto the outer end of said second ,t'oggle'link.

The toggle link 84,.whenthecable- 9 0 is pulled to the left in 'Figure 6, is adapted to force the shoe 72 out of engagement withthe brake drum against :the action of p the spring 78. In this connection, we provide means under t e con rol oft e us r r w nging. he l nk- 84 o a position in which 'it will act to release. the brake, said means being accessible 'from aeonvenient location within e r om in wh ehhe-hed isl c it d- Th me ns in u idlernull ysifizJm 96 (Figure around which the brake-release cable 911 is trained, :said cable, after being passed around the pulley. 96, being extended downwardly within the wall of the room to a control panel or'box '98 (Figure .3

The control box 98 is recessed within the wall of the room, and is provided with ahinged clos ure,..s oas to present an attractive appearance at-all times. Obviously, if ired, the presence of th ntm b x .8 may be effectively conce led bythc mountingof amirror or picture upon the door thereof.

The inner construction of the control mechanism has been illustrated in figure 4, and.as.maybe noted inthis figure, the top. wall of the, control boxhas mounted thereon a pair of spaced pulley-support."brackets 10.0. Rotatably mounted; in the respective brackets 100 are pulleys 102,'saicl"pulleys being spaced closely apart. The cable?!) I extends downwardly through" the space between the pulley-s 102," and "is connectedto the upper end of a pivoted control handle 104, said handle" being fulcrumed "4 at 106, adjacent its upper end, to the medial portion of an arcuate handle-support bracket 108.

Intermediate the upper and lower ends of the control box 38 there is mounted in said box an arcuate control handle guide bar 110, this being fixedly secured at its opposite ends to the respectiveside walls of the box. The lower end portion of the'handle 104 traverses said guide bar, as may be readily noted by comparing the full and dotted line illustrationsin'Figure 4.

A pivoted detent 112 is mounted upon that portion of the control handle 104 that is contiguous to the guide bar 110, said detent, when the handle is in its vertical, full line-position, lbeingengageable. in, a suitable notch provided medially betweenthe oppositev ends of the guide bar. As a result, when the handle is in said vertical position, it is effectively held against accidental movement to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 4.

.Inthe vertical position .of the control handle- 104, the brake-mechanism illustrated inFigure v6 is set. and prevents :rotation.of:theshaft 50. When,'however, thedetent llzjisdisengaged from the guide bar 110, and the handle swung from its vertical or neutral position in either direction,,the. brake release cable will be pulled downwardly and will transmit movement to the link 84, thus to release the brake.

The control handle 104 is not only adapted to release the, brake, but is also designed to control. the closing of selected electrical circuits, whereby thebed may be raised or lowered. To this. end, apair of switchhousings 114, 115 are mounted against the back wall of the control box '98 at locations spaced transversely of said box. The housings, as'will be seenfrom Figure 4, are spaced from opposite sides-of thecontrol handle, so that the handle will be shiftedthereagainst when swung in either direction from its neutral position.

Each of the switch housings is mounted for adjustment to .sclected' positions toward and away from the control handle, so .asto permit the user to regulate the amount of swinging movement of the handle required before the handle .moves into engagement with a selected switch housing. .To provideforthis adjustment, each housing is provided with a longitudinal slot 116, receiving spaced guidepinslls that project outwardly from the back wall ofthe-control box. Obviously, the housings can be adjusted slidablyupon the supporting pins 118, after which said pins or screwsare tightened to retain the housing in theselected position to-which it is adjusted.

Projecting toward thecontrol handle from each of the switchhousings is aswitch arm 120. We-have not illustratedthe inner construction of the switches, but it will beunderstood that therespective arms will be biased to. an extended position, thatis, they will .be forcedv in the direction of the handle 104 by a suitable spring disposed. withinthe. housing.

Within the switch housings .thewarms 120 are operatively associated withclectr-ical switchesin a manner whereby said electrical switches will .be opened when the plungers are biased to their extended position, and closed when theplungers or arms 20are. forcedinwardly of the housings 'by movement of the control handle 104 thereagainst. The switches of the housing 114 are illustrated in Figure 5, and' have been designated by the reference letters D, E and F. The switches of .the housing 115 .have been designated A, B and C. The housing 115, in this connection, contains the switches. used-to control. upward movementof the. bed,.while the. switches o'f'the housing 114 control the downward movement. of saidlbed.

Referring now to the electrical diagram illustrated in Figure 5, leads 12 2 extend from a suitable source of electricpower, such as the conventional'house circuit.

The circuit closed for .the purpose of causing elevation of the bed'26 will first be described, and tracing thiscircuit; electrical power flows through lead 122 and lead 124 to normally closedi'liniit switch 126. Thereafter, the

electricalpower is transmitted through lead 128, closed switch A, lead 130, and lead 132 to the start side of the motor 62. 'Returning, the current fiows through lead 134 from the start side of the motor, closed switch B, and out through lead 122.

Simultaneously, current flows through the first lead 122, lead 124, limit switch 126, lead 128, closed switch C, lead 136, and lead 138 to the run side of the motor 62. Thereafter, current flows directly through lead 139 back into the house circuit.

The limit switch 126 may be disposed at any suitable location, and may, for example, be provided directly within the control box 38. When the limit switch is located in the control box 38, it would be controlled manually by the user, so that the user may open said switch simultaneously with movement of the panel 24 into the full line position illustrated in Figure 2.

Alternatively, the limit switch may be so formed as to be engaged by the panel 24 when said panel moves into a bed-receiving well, so as to be opened by the panel itself when the panel is at the upper limit of its travel.

When the bed is to be lowered, the control handle 104 is swung to the right in Figure 4 rather than to the left, so as to engage the switch arm 120 of the housing 114. This acts to close the switches D, E and F, and as a result, current flows from the house circuit through lead 140, switch E, lead 142, start side of the motor 62, lead 132, lead 143, closed switch D, and lead 144 to the other side of said house circuit.

Simultaneously, current flows from the first lead 122 through lead 140, closed switch F, lead 146, lead 138, run side of the motor 62, lead 139, and back into the house circuit through the other lead 132.

It will be seen from the above that normally the bed is securely held in a selected position by the brake mechanism illustrated in Figure 6, the brake setting automatically upon release of the control handle 104. Thus, the control handle 104 can be released at any desired point of the travel of the bed, between the opposite extreme positions to which the bed is movable, the brake setting automatically when the handle is so released. By reason of this arrangement, it is possible to halt the bed at a location at which it is spaced a slight distance above the floor of the room, thereby to permit the bed to be made up with a maximum amount of convenience.

When, however, the bed is to be moved to another position, it is merely necessary that the user grasp the handle 104 and swing the handle to the left or right as the case may be, to set the reversing motor into operation and cause the bed to be raised or lowered, as desired. Movement of the control handle from its vertical, neutral position will, of course, act to release the brake mechanism simultaneously with the supplying of electrical current to the motor 62.

It will be readily appreciated that the door of the control box and the panel 24 can be fashioned in a manner whereby they will not detract from the appearance of the room when a bed is recessed in the ceiling. As a result, the room is usable for normal living with its full floor area available for this purpose. However, when the bed is to be used, the bed is readily lowered merely by swinging of the control handle 104 out of its neutral position in the manner hereinbefore described.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a power and control device for a disappearing bed assembly of the type including a well mountable in a ceiling, a bed proportioned to be recessed Within the well, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the well, and cable and pulley means extending between the shaft and bed and effective to raise and lower the bed responsive to rotation of the shaft, the combination comprising: electrically controlled means adapted for connection to the shaft for driving the same; a normally set brake including a brake drum adapted to be fixed to the shaft, a brake shoe adapted to be carried by the well and movable into and out of engagement with the drum, yielding means normally retaining the shoe .in a drum-engaging position, and a brake release cablelinked to the shoe and arranged to shift the shoe out of engagement with the drum when pulled; normally open switch means electrically connected to the shaft drive means to actuate the same when closed; and a manually operated control handle connected to the brake release cable to pull the same when shifted to a predetermined position, said handle being arranged to close the switch means when shifted to its cable-pulling position.

2. In a power and control device for a disappearing bed assembly of the type including a well mountable in a ceiling, a bed proportioned to be recessed within the well, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the well, and cable and pulley means extending between the shaft and the bed and effective to raise and lower the bed responsive to rotation of the shaft, the combination comprising: electrically controlled means adapted for driving the shaft; a normally set brake including a brake drum adapted to be fixed to the shaft, a brake shoe adapted to be carried by the well and consisting of a pair of hingedly connected shoe portions extending about the drum for movement into and out of engagement with the drum, yielding means normally biasing the shoe portions toward one another into a drum-engaging position, an angular link adapted to be pivotally carried by the well and connected at one end to one of the shoe portions, said link being adapted when swung in one direction to shift its associated shoe portion away from the other shoe portion against the action of said yielding means to release the brake, and a brake release cable connected to the other end of the link and arranged to swing the link in said direction when pulled; normally open switch means electrically connected to the shaft drive means to actuate the same when closed; and a manually operated control handle connected to the brake release cable to pull the same when shifted to a predetermined position, said handle being arranged to close the switch means when shifted to its cable-pulling position, thus to release the brake simultaneously with actuation of the shaft drive means.

3. In a power and control device for a disappearing bed assembly of the type including a well mountable in a ceiling, a bed proportioned to be recessed within the well, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the well, and cable and pulley means extending between the shaft and the bed and effective to raise and lower the bed responsive to rotation of the shaft, the combination comprising: electrically controlled means adapted for driving the shaft; a normally set brake adapted for mounting on the shaft; a control panel mountable remotely from the well; a pair of spaced switches mounted on the panel and respectively connected electrically to the shaft drive means to rotate the same in a selected direction when a selected one of the switches is closed; and a control handle pivotally mounted on the panel between said switches and having a connection to the brake effective to release the brake when the handle is pivotally swung in either direction, said handle being arranged to close a selected switch when swung thereagainst, thus to release the brake simul taneously with actuation of the shaft drive means.

4. In a power and control device for a disappearing bed assembly of the type including a well mountable in a ceiling, a bed proportioned to be recessed within the well, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the well, and cable and pulley means extending betweenthe shaft and bed effective to raise and lower 'the bed responsive'to rotation of the shaft, the'combina'ti'on comprising: electrically controlled means for "driving the "shaft; a normally set brakeincluding a brakedrum adapted to befixed to the shaft, "a brake shoe adapted to be carried by the well and consisting of a pair of hingedly connected shoe portions extending aboutthe drum 'for movement into and out of engagement with the drum, yielding means normally biasing the shoe portions toward "one another into a drum-engaging position, an angular linl adapted to be pivotally carried by the'well and connected at one endto one of the shoe portions, said link being adapted when swung in one direction to shift its associated shoe portion away fronrthe othershoe portion against'the action of said yielding means, thus to release the'bra'ke, and a brake release *eable'eorrnected to the other end of the link and arranged 'to swing the 'link in said direction when pulled; a'eontrol panel mountable'remotely fromth'e well, said brake release cable extending into thepanel; a pair of spaced switches mounted on the panel and respectively connected electrically to the shaft drive means to rotate the same in 'a selected direction when a selected one of the switches is closed; and a control handle pivotally mounted on the panel between'said'switches and connected at one end to the brake release cable, said handle being arranged to pull'the brake release cable when the handle is swung in either directionwithin the panel, said handle being disposed to close a selected switch when swung thereagainst, thus to release the brake simultaneously'with actuation of said shaft drive means.

' "5. iIn'a power "and control device for a disappearing bed assenibly'adapted for mounting in a room ceiling having anopening, and'including a'bed proportioned to be recessed in said opening, and means including a shaft for raising and lowering said bed into and out of said opening responsive to rotation'or' the shaft, the combination comprising: electrical-means adapted for driving said shaft; a normally set brake adapted forrnounting on the shaft; a brake release cable having a connection to the brake effective to release the same on pulling of the cablein a directionaway from'the brake; a control panel remote from said brake and to which the'cable isextended; and a controlhan'dle pivotally attached intermediate its ends to said panel, the brake release cable being connected to one end of the handle, for pulling of'the cable on swinging of the handle'about its pivotal connection to the'eontrol panel, said'handle having'its other end disposed for actuatin'g'the' shaft drive means responsive to swinging of the handle in'a direction to pull the cable.

References'Cited' in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS i67,494 Burnett Aug. 6, 1867 610,064 Kottgen Aug. 30, 1898 1,003,830 Wald et a1 Sept. 19,1911 1,065,740 Sorlien June 24, 1913 1,197,035 Knudtson et a1. Sept. 5, 1916 19455875 'Woller Feb. 6, 1934 2,175,037 Smith Oct. 3, 1939 

